Part I, Chapter 3 Summary

It is evening, and Robert is sitting in his house, reading Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and quickly getting drunk. He has not completed his day's chores, and he is angry and frustrated. He smashes his glass in frustration, and cuts his hand on the broken glass. He is struck with a quotation from the book: "The strength of the vampire is that no one will believe in him." Robert reflects that until recently vampires have been regarded with skepticism, but now they are a scientific fact. He wonders if he is the only normal human being left, and knows his chances of meeting a fellow survivor are slim.

Robert then reflects that vampires, until recently the minority, were much maligned, but their conduct is no worse than that of venal politicians, manufacturers of guns and bombs, unscrupulous distillers who sell diluted grain, or publishers...